At Death's Door
by xxfeichixx
Summary: Death is entangled among the Spider's web.


Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter X Hunter.

* * *

Phinks was lying with his back on the ground. He was desperate for air, but the coughing of his own blood only made the task harder. He sounded like a mongrel, even to his own ears, which just made Phinks even more frustrated about the situation. Nothing was worse than being surrounded by your comrades as you lay on the floor helpless—dying _and_ sounding like a dying mongrel. It would have been a lot more pleasant if he had had a quick death. At least he didn't have to deal with all of this. Death was certainly a guarantee when it came to his line of work, but he never thought things would turn out this way. He didn't want it to end this way.

Though Phinks's vision was getting grainier and blurrier by the second, he could see Shalnark kneel over him, trying to patch him up.

_Useless_, Phinks thought, but he didn't protest. It was better than just being stared at.

Phinks tried to focus on something else other than the fact that his life was slowly being drained from him. He tried to remember things: his childhood, his first love, his comrades. It didn't help distract him, so he focused on the things that he _can _do. They say there will be always be that one thing you'll wish for once you're on your deathbed, but Phinks couldn't think really think of anything.

_My final wish, huh? _Phinks thought. What was it that he wanted?

Phinks closed his eyes, trying to suppress the incoming and bloody cough. He succeeded, but not without choking violently on the blood, making the pain in his chest worse. He wanted to cry. Anything was better than this.

Footsteps echoed through the abandoned building. Phinks only watched as his favorite comrade walked closer to his dying body. Phinks smiled. Somehow, he figured out what he wanted before he left this world. It was a wish that only Feitan could grant.

"Feitan," Phinks called. His voice came out as a whisper and sounded a little husky.

The bandit only stared with cold, menacing eyes, but acknowledged his comrade's call all the same. Phinks twitched his head to the side, motioning his comrade to come closer. In response, Feitan knelt slowly next to the dying man.

_His eyes are as merciless as ever_, Phinks noted. Could he still ask this favor of his? Phinks decided to give it a shot. After all, he'd be dead in a minute or two anyway.

A coughing fit had taken over Phinks as he tried to speak the words. It earned him a good scolding from Shalnark, who was quickly quelled by Nobunaga with a touch on the boy's shoulder along with a solemn shake of the head. At this point, everybody was silent, straining to hear what could be Phinks's final words.

"Feitan, I…want…" Phinks took in a breathe of air with difficulty, "I want…you to —"

Phinks coughed again. He was getting dizzy, and he was losing consciousness. Fast. A sense of urgency was taking over Phinks. He needed to say what he needed say before it was all over.

"Feitan, could you sing a Chinese song for me?"

A cacophonous sound of a shattered glass filled the silence that followed Phinks's request.

After a few moments of such disturbing peace, Franklin spoke up. "Phinks…are you sick in the head or something?"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?!" cried Phinks. His request was NOT ridiculous.

Shalnark spoke very slowly, as though Phinks really _was_ sick in the head or something. " You need to rest."

A shade of pink trekked its way across the Pharaoh's face. "I haven't gone retarded!"

"Are you sure?" asked Nobunaga with a smirk.

Phinks shook a fist in retaliation. He then turned his attention to Feitan for invocation.

The assassin was still. There were no signs of movement or liveliness from the person of interest.

"Feitan?" Phinks called out.

Just then, the bandit pulled out a dagger-sharp hand, his deadly aura poured itself into the entirety of the building. "Die."

* * *

"And that's how Phinks almost died!" Shalnark cheered.

Kalluto stared incredulously at the screen of the hand phone. This troupe was definitely odd. They record and take pleasure in each other's near-death experiences. Sometimes, Kalluto wonders why he even joined this band of thieves in the first place. Oh, wait. It was to get his brother back.

"So you just stood there...recording the special occasion..." Kalluto deadpanned. He knew those who hailed from Meteor City were not exactly what most would consider normal(he personally witnessed it with his own mother's near-schizophrenic behavior), but this was a little over the top.

"I'm in the video, so it's not me," Shalnark beamed, "but if you really want to know, it's courtesy of Korutopi."

Kalluto turned his head to the smallest member of the troupe, who looked really proud of himself. Kalluto died a little inside. These people would probably drag his corpse around frat parties and take selfies with his "drunk" corpse and throw it in the middle of dance floor just to crash the party. He was sure of it.

"Why was Phinks injured again?" Shizuku asked, who clearly did not remember the magnificent occasion.

"He angered some gay guys at some gay bar," Nobunaga replied.

"That was Hisoka," Feitan corrected.

"Oh, that's right."

"He accidentally walked in on Machi when she was changing," Franklin supplied to Shizuku.

The room fell in silence as each member took note to knock on every door they come across with in headquarters.


End file.
